Newsboys' Strike of 1899
Newsies Stop the World!
In the summer of 1899, a little less than one year after the end of the Spanish-American War, thousands of New York newsboys and newsgirls went on strike against the two biggest newspaper companies in the city: The New York World and The New York Journal. These children were striking against the increased wholesale price of newspapers - newsies used to buy one hundred papers for 50 cents, but when the Spanish-American War dramatically increased circulation, most newspapers raised the wholesale price to 60 cents per hundred papers.
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In the eleven months between the end of the Spanish-American War and the start of the Newsboys' Strike, the wholesale price of newspapers remained at 60 cents per hundred papers. Some newspapers lowered the price back down to 50 cents as newspaper sales declined post-war, but The New York World and The New York Journal refused to reduce their wholesale price back to what it once was. As the two largest publishing companies in New York City, they assumed that the newsies would continue to buy their papers, the most popular with customers. However, without the influx of people paying to read news about the Spanish-American War, sales went down, and the 60 cent wholesale price became too steep for most newsies.
On July 18th, 1899, Long Island City newsboys turned over a New York Journal distribution wagon when they discovered the distribution manager at that wagon had been short-stacking their bundles of one hundred papers, effectively stealing money from the newsies. They declared their own strike against The New York Journal and The New York World, refusing to sell either of those newspapers until the wholesale prices were rolled back to 50 cents per hundred papers. The newsboys from Manhattan and Brooklyn joined in the next day, and word quickly spread that a huge strike would soon commence.
On July 20th, newsies all over New York (and friends from New Jersey) refused to sell The New York World or The New York Journal. Led by three newsies named Kid Blink, David Simons, and Morris Cohen, the Newsboys' Strike of 1899 officially began. (There were previous Newsboys' Strikes in the United States between 1881-1894, but none of them lasted as long or impacted child labor laws nearly as much as this one.)
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In these early days of the strike, newsies were ruthless in their treatment of "scabs" (someone who continues working while others strike) - if any newsie was found selling the boycotted papers, they usually faced violence from their brothers on strike. Their papers would quickly be destroyed to prevent them from selling, and the scabs were typically beaten up pretty bad.
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Newsies prevented paper sales from attacking scabs, refusing to sell papers themselves, and by putting up large posters throughout New York to encourage citizens not to buy papers during this strike.
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On July 22nd, Newsie Union Leader Kid Blink met with William Randolph Hearst (owner of The New York Journal) in his office, along with three other newsies. The newsies presented their conditions and demands in order to end the strike; Hearst promised them an answer from both papers by July 24th.
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On July 24th, Hearst and Pulitzer told the newsies that they do not accept the conditions and demands laid out by Kid Blink. Instead, they hired adult men to sell the papers and offer these men police protection, making it harder for newsies to attack the scabs and prevent sales. They paid these men as much as $2 per day for their work.
In the late afternoon on July 24th, a mass meeting of newsies, child workers, businessmen, and politicians gathered at New Irving Hall. 2,000 newsies crammed inside the building (meant only to house 1,200 normally), and another 3,000 try to hear from outside. This rally was sponsored by state senator Timothy D. Sullivan - many local businessmen and politicians spoke at the rally, including lawyer Leonard A. Suitkin, Frank B. Wood, and ex-Assemblyman Phil Wissig. The adult speeches were followed by speeches from the newsies. David Simons read the resolutions of the strike and encouraged the newsies to lessen their violence and Kid Blink gave an inspiring speech sending them into the remainder of the strike with renewed strength. Others who spoke that evening were Warhorse Brennan, Jack Tietjen, Bob the Indian, Crazy Arborn, female reporter Annie Kelly, and Brooklyn Newsie Leader Racetrack Higgins.
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For excerpts of the speeches, please head to Direct Quotes.
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On July 25th, Pulitzer and Hearst offered to lower the price to 55 cents, but the newsies declined, holding out for a complete roll back.
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The next few days of the strike were less violent than before. The public had joined in the strike, many citizens refusing to buy papers while the newsies were on strike. However, by July 27th, controversy struck the newsie community - rumors quickly spread that both Kid Blink and David Simons had accepted bribes from the newspaper publishers. While this was never proved, both boys were seen wearing nicer clothes than normal, causing the newsies to turn against their former leaders. This betrayal didn't last long - both Kid Blink and David Simons stepped down from their leadership positions due to the rumors, letting others take over the helm rather than trying to convince thousands of their innocence.
On August 1st, 1899, Pulitzer and Hearst offered a compromise to the newsies: they keep the price at 60 cents per hundred, but they offer to buy back any unsold papers the newsies had. Instead of newsies worrying if they were going to have to eat their remaining papers for lack of money and food, this allowed newsies to feel more comfortable selling when the headlines were bad. The newsies accepted this offer, and the strike came to an end.
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